Mahabharata Quiz - 24

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Question - 24 

Kali Yuga began 3179 years before the beginning of Shalivahana Shaka in CE 78, which gave the year 3101 BCE. On what basis this year was determined as the beginning of Kali Yuga?  

Answer:

The beginning of Kali Yuga was determined by the time Krishna left his mortal coils. 

Purana-s such as Vishnu Purana, Brahma Purana, Matsya Purana and Bhagavata Purana have stated that Kali Yuga dawned at the moment Krishna left this world.  

Veda Vyasa also has stated in Bhagavata Purana that "Those who scientifically understand the past declare that on the very day that Lord Krishna departed for the spiritual world, the influence of the Kali Age began."

The last line “iti prāhuh purā-vidah” – thus say the experts of the past – conveys that the linking the departure of Krishna with the advent of Kali was not an arbitrary decision, but one that seemed to have been discussed and accepted unanimously.

At the time of his departure no one knew that Kali Yuga had begun because his departure came to be known to the outside world only after seven months. It sent shock waves such that the Pandava-s decided to relinquish their householder (grahasta) status and take up sanyasa. Meanwhile considerable discussion had taken place among the sages on the date of his departure and the planetary conditions they were tracking all the time. This is indicated by the term “purā-vidah” in the above verse by Vyasa. They had unanimously declared that both the events – Krishna leaving the earth and the congregation of all the planets marking the start of a Yuga – had occurred at the same time.

Thus, only months after the actual date of departure of Krishna which also coincided with a super conjunction of planets, the sages declared the date of Kali Yuga as having started.

Only two markers determined the Kali Yuga date:-

1.     Departure of Krishna

2.     Congregation of all planets (except Rahu) at the beginning of Aries.

Two other historical events occurred following this:

1.     The Pandava-s abdicating the throne.

2.     Parikshit, the grandson of Arjuna becoming the King

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